Gravitation
by kmrainone
Summary: A bit of backstory for Sirius, doesn't conflict with the main storyline, just gives him a little bit of a past. Gravitation: a physical force that is responsible for interactions between objects with mass.
1. Chapter 1

The first years cheered as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Tiny noses and hands pressed up against the cold, foggy windowpanes, trying to see something extraordinary. All they saw was darkness, mist and a large, looming figure. They were filled with a strange type of fear, apprehension and adrenaline running through their veins simultaneously. As the train screeched to a stop, they all crowded out at once, attempting to beat the others to the platform outside. The tension was palpable. One boy got caught behind a large swell of students and fell back from his new friends. He gave up his attempt to escape, reasoning that he would see them soon enough anyway. He was nervous, everyone was. He waited for the crowd to settle and then began his walk off the train. He didn't notice the tiny being running down toward him haphazardly, just as she didn't notice the person in her path until they had both toppled together on the floor in a heap.

"Bloody hell!" He shouted, feeling a sharp pain in his head. He could feel another person worrying about before him, but he kept his eyes closed tight in pain.

"Oh - oh I'm so sorry. I was nervous and I couldn't see you! Are you alright?" The tiny voice asked. He opened his eyes to look at his attacker and had to blink.

Before him was the most unearthly creature he had ever seen. She stared at him, her head cocked to the side, huge brown eyes wide, long hair flying about her face in an untidy braid that was almost completely undone. She was small and pale and he felt that if he had wanted to throw her, she would fly away in the wind. Her face was worried. He sat up and rubbed his head, dropping his hand as she reached around him, her cool fingers touching the tender spot.

"I'm fine. Just a bump." He forced a smile. "I'm Sirius Black." She blushed and smiled back; her two front teeth were missing. She was lovely.

"I'm Briony Penn."


	2. Chapter 2

Briony stood up, reaching her hand down for Sirius to take. He grasped her cold fingers and stood. He was almost a head taller than her. Already, at eleven years old he had hit a growth spurt and was taller than most of his peers. Briony beamed up at him. They departed the train together, the last students to reach the platform. The air was damp and the quality felt palpably different. Briony breathed it in deeply, closing her eyes.

"Are you nervous?" She said, eyes still closed. Sirius looked down at her.

"Well, as nervous as is usual, I suppose. My whole family has pretty much decided my future for me already." Briony opened her eyes and they began to walk forward. She looked up at him.

"Does that upset you? Both of my parents are non-magic… muggles? Is that the term? They were… surprised to say the least." Her eyes clouded over for a moment and in a second they were back to their calm, dreamy state. Sirius found himself wondering about those eyes.

"I- I guess I'm at the stage where everything my family does upsets me. I'm as different from them as can be. If I'm not in Slytherin, I will be a huge disappointment." Sirius couldn't figure out why he had suddenly opened up so much to this strange little girl. But something about her eyes told him he could trust her. She nodded, thoughtful.

"How does that make you feel? Wow, I sound a bit like a therapist, don't I?" She giggled and Sirius looked perplexed.

"Th-there- What?" Briony's face turned scarlet and she blushed.

"Oh dear. Well erm. It doesn't matter, really. Anyway, I'm sorry." This girl was stranger by the instant - much more intriguing. They were coming upon the black lake. Sirius had never seen it before, and in the dark of the night it seemed all the spookier.

"Thar you are! We've been looking all over for you. Come along, yer classmates are in a right state." A giant man with a mane of black hair and a bushy black beard came looming over the two of them. His beetle – like eyes were full of kindness as he led them over to a crowd of other students, all looking rather miffed.

"Black, there you are! Thought you had fallen off the train!" Sirius saw his friend, James Potter running toward him. The boys shook hands and James didn't even acknowledge Briony.

"Lily!" Briony called out, and a small girl with reddish hair and striking features turned to her and smiled. Briony turned back to Sirius and smiled.

"Well… goodbye." She said gently before turning and joining her friend.

"Goodbye." He whispered.

"What was that mate?" James asked.

"Nothing, let's get on with it then." Sirius said, still watching after that strange being as he climbed into the boat.


	3. Chapter 3

"Welcome, first year students. Gather round. Now when I call your name, you will step forward and be sorted into your houses." A rather stern looking woman with a pointed green hat said to them. The students were shaking with fear. The entire great hall was packed with students, every table almost full. Around her, Briony could hear the rumors her peers were spreading.

"_I_ hear that you have to wrestle with the giant squid in the black lake…"

"That's absurd, I believe you have to brew a potion."

"I think we have to duel…"

Briony almost wanted to laugh at these strange ideas. Surely they wouldn't be forced into life and death situations? That _had_ to be illegal. She still shivered anxiously, her entire body quaked. A hush fell over the hall as the witch called out the first name.

"Bagshot, Hebert." A short boy with blonde hair and slanted blue eyes stumbled forward. He was placed on a tall wooden stool. Behind him, the professor came out with a tattered looking hat. As she placed it on his head, some students gasped. The hat spoke.

"Ravenclaw!" One table screamed and cheered for their newest member as the hat was yanked off his head and he ran off the stage into their arms. The students visibly relaxed as they realized that they weren't going to have to do anything special.

"Black, Sirius." He could feel his whole body burning. His family name was famous, and he was sure of where he belonged. But why did he feel such a sense of dread? He sat on the stool and the hat fell just above his eyes.

"Hmmm, another Black. Interesting. You're not like the others. In fact, you belong in… GRYFFINDOR!" The hall exploded in cheers, and Sirius couldn't quite believe it. Had that actually happened? He dashed over to the table, still completely shocked. As he settled down into his seat and felt the slaps on his back and congratulations, it hit him. He was not like his family.

Briony beamed. So he wasn't a "Slytherin" after all. Good for him. He didn't sound particularly pleased to have that in his future. More students were called.

"Evans, Lily." She squeezed the other girl's hand and smiled comfortingly at her. She approached the stage and after a few seconds deliberation, the hat called out "Gryffindor!" The students around her were decreasing by the moment.

Lupin, Remus was placed in Gryffindor. Soon Briony and a few others were left. She felt queasy.

"Penn, Briony." She breathed in deeply, fearing that she might faint. She approached the stage slowly and sat down. The hat fell right over her eyes, blocking the light.

"Hmm… You're a tough one. You have nerve, and are loyal to those you love. You believe in working hard… Hmm… interesting. GRYFFINDOR!" Suddenly the light came back and Briony was stumbling off the stage. She could barely register the loud cheers as she collapsed into a seat beside Lily Evans.

"Congratulations." The other girl smiled kindly. Briony couldn't speak - she was still in shock. Her eyes wandered across the new faces all around her, and stopped on one in particular. Sirius smiled at her shyly. Briony felt her face heat up. She turned back toward the remaining first years to be sorted.

"Pettigrew, Peter." A short, chubby little boy timidly approached the hat. After several minutes of deliberation, the hat finally decided "GRYFFINDOR!" The little boy stumbled off the stage and collapsed close to Sirius, who cringed slightly. Briony giggled.

"Potter, James." As Potter swaggered confidently toward the hat, Lily tugged at Briony's sleeve. Briony inclined her head to listen to Lily's almost in audible whisper.

"_That _boy was hounding me after you disappeared on the train. I swear, he wouldn't leave me alone! I do hope we're not in the same h-" She was cut off by the Sorting Hat's loud cry of

"GRYFFINDOR!" Briony saw her friend's visible annoyance as James approached and sat directly across from Lily. He winked at her and she turned up her nose, watching the stage. He chuckled.

"Snape, Severus." A boy with greasy black hair and a hooked nose went to the hat. It barely touched his head before shouting "SLYTHERIN!" James was struggling to fight back his laughter. Lily noticed this and gave him a withering look.

"This concludes the sorting ceremony. These houses will be your homes for the next seven years." Briony snuck another look across the table. Sirius smiled.


End file.
